Chapter 94 - 93: Wu Gui
Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Wu Gui
When they reached the courtyard, Wu Qiquan stopped and turned to face Chen Shouheng. He smiled, his tone lukewarm. "Junior Brother Chen, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you. I never expected you to cultivate Inner Qi so quickly. It’s quite a surprise."
"It was just a stroke of luck. I can’t compare to you, Brother," Chen Shouheng replied humbly.
Wu Qiquan said coolly, "Let me give you a word of advice. The path of the Martial Examination is incredibly difficult; it’s not something you can succeed at with just a bit of talent. The Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall is considered decent in Jingshan, but in the Commandery City, its foundation is ultimately shallow. Managing to become a Martial Scholar is already a stroke of incredible luck. As for the higher ranks... heh, that’s not something hard work alone can achieve. It’s as difficult as ascending to heaven."
Chen Shouheng’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he did not respond.
Seeing his silence, Wu Qiquan chuckled. "I," he said, "have earned the favor of the Jiang Family in the Commandery City. I am now a Guest of the Jiang Family, and they are cultivating my talent. Since we both came from the same hall, if you are willing to follow me, I can introduce you. You could join the Jiang Family and secure a good future. It’s a much better and more practical path than chasing the ethereal dream of the Martial Examination."
When Chen Shouheng remained silent, deep in thought, Wu Qiquan assumed he was tempted. He lowered his voice, offering what he saw as guidance. "The Spirit Realm Pass is the true bottleneck! Without an advanced Inner Qi Heart Method to guide you, without enough precious Medicinal Cuisine or even Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to replenish the massive consumption of Qi Blood Divine Soul, trying to break through to the Spirit Realm with just the crude techniques from the martial arts hall is gambling with your life!
"It’s a bet you’ll lose nine times out of ten! Brother Sun is a perfect cautionary tale! And all these resources are monopolized by the Sects and Noble Families. How could someone of common birth like us ever possess such things? If you want them, your only option is to pledge your allegiance to a powerful patron."
Chen Shouheng shook his head, his expression calm as he cupped his fist. "Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Wu. But my mind is made up. I intend to walk the path of the Martial Examination."
"Naive! If the path of the Martial Examination were that easy, the world would be full of officials."
Hearing this, Wu Qiquan’s face twisted into a sneer, his expression filled with displeasure and hostility. He snorted coldly. "Don’t regret this later!"
With that, he couldn’t be bothered to say another word. He flicked his sleeve, turned, and strode away arrogantly.
...
Ping County was adjacent to Jingshan County, so the journey was not excessively long, and the roads were all well-maintained government routes.
The journey was uneventful. By the following afternoon, the city walls of Ping County came into view, noticeably shorter and more dilapidated than those of Jingshan.
Ping County was much smaller than Jingshan County.
Several tributaries of the Lishui River ran through the area, creating a network of waterways and fostering a highly developed fishing industry.
After entering the city, Chen Shouye didn’t rush to his destination. Instead, he lingered in a few of the busier market streets before finding a bustling inn to check into.
Only then did he head toward the shantytown in Ping County’s Southeast Fishery.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you know of a man in this area who goes by the moniker Wu Gui?"
Chen Shouye had stopped at the stall of an old man selling steamed cakes. He handed over a few Wen Coins, bought a cake, and asked his question nonchalantly.
Upon hearing the name, the old man’s expression grew secretive. He lowered his voice. "Young man, why are you asking about him? He’s bad news... A gambling addict, drowning in debt. His reputation stinks!"
Just then, an idle man eating wontons nearby chimed in with a scoff. "Wu Gui? You mean Wu Fayong! Take my advice, kid. Even if you have money to spare, don’t throw it into that bottomless pit!"
Chen Shouye’s brow furrowed slightly, and he grew wary.
Seeing that Chen Shouye wasn’t deterred, the old man gave him directions.
Chen Shouye delayed no longer and headed straight there.
The farther west he went, the more dilapidated the scenery became.
The road was pitted and uneven, with raw sewage flowing across it. Low, crooked shacks were crammed together, and the heavy air was a mix of rotting fish and shrimp, festering garbage, and the smoke from cheap coal.
Following the old man’s directions, Chen Shouye found the dilapidated felt hut on the edge of the filthiest, most chaotic part of the area. It looked as if it were about to collapse.
It was even worse than he had imagined. The door curtain was a scrap of cloth so filthy its original color was impossible to discern, and the hut was surrounded by piles of junk and trash, swarmed by buzzing flies.
As Chen Shouye stood before the entrance, a thick, sour, musty stench washed over him, making him frown instinctively.
He found it hard to reconcile the idea of a master of the Martial Dao with the scene before him, and his doubts intensified.
Still, he suppressed his discomfort and raised a hand to knock on the crooked doorframe.
A rustling came from inside the shack, followed by a hoarse voice, thick with sleep and impatience, bellowing, "Who is it? What’s all the damn noise? You’re ruining a man’s sleep!"
The tattered door curtain was violently thrown aside, and a gaunt, middle-aged man poked his head out.
He had heavy bags under his eyes, the sockets an unhealthy shade of dark blue. His greasy, matted hair was stuck to his forehead.
The gray tunic he wore was covered in grease and unidentifiable stains, exuding a sour, rotten odor.
His eyes were cloudy but held a cunning glint, and he sized up Chen Shouye like a wary rat studying a stranger.
"Who are you looking for?" he snapped, his tone laced with open hostility.
"Excuse me, are you Wu Fayong, Master Wu?" Chen Shouye asked, his expression unchanging as he maintained a polite tone.
The man’s eyes flickered. He narrowed them, carefully scanning Chen Shouye from head to toe.
Seeing that the visitor, though not dressed in silks, wore clean clothes and carried himself with a calm air unlike that of a commoner, his tone softened slightly and became more probing. "I am. What is it?"
"I heard that one can learn Martial Arts from Master Wu here?"
Chen Shouye stated his purpose directly.
The moment Wu Gui heard the words "teach Martial Arts," an unmistakable gleam erupted in his beady eyes. Like a feral cat that had caught the scent of fish, his entire demeanor sharpened.
He plastered an incredibly fake, eager smile on his face and shuffled aside. "Come in and talk!"
Chen Shouye ducked and entered the low, dark shack.
The interior was dim and cramped. Aside from a tattered straw pallet and a wobbly wooden stool, the hut was practically bare.
The air, a mix of fish, sweat, and other unmentionable smells, was even more suffocating than it had been outside.
Wu Gui wasted no time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point so quickly that spittle nearly flew into Chen Shouye’s face. "So, what do you want to learn? The stuff I can teach you will serve you for a lifetime! Fifty taels of silver! I’ll teach you everything I know, satisfaction guaranteed!"
He held up five filthy fingers, his gaze fixed on Chen Shouye’s face like a hawk, watching for any change in expression.
Chen Shouye shook his head. "I want the legacy of your Cultivation Technique, Master Wu."
"The legacy?"
Wu Gui’s eyes lit up, greed practically overflowing from them.
Plenty of people had sought him out to learn Martial Arts over the years, but they were all children from poor families who couldn’t even scrape together fifty taels of silver.
Some even tried to haggle, and when his gambling addiction was bad, he’d take as little as twenty taels.
He’d never had someone come and ask for the legacy of his Cultivation Technique right from the start.
Wu Gui realized he had a rare "fat sheep" on his hands and immediately jacked up the price.
He snapped his five fingers open to show a full palm, his tone absolute and leaving no room for argument. "Five hundred taels! Not one coin less, or the deal is off! This is my own unique art. The legacy isn’t something you can just take lightly."